Well - that was interesting. I participate in probably close to a dozen or so forums - and the amount of just blatant, unintelligent flaming on this site is like nothing I've seen.
You're right, this forum should be significantly kinder to everyone. I appreciate you setting the example for how to treat each other over a web interface such as this forum here.
Some of you guys are just ignorant.
DOH! /facepalm
Anyone capable of reading understood my OP to be a SUGGESTION for others to discuss - not berate the opinions of others.
I've read through this thread and found quite the discussion. Mostly disagreeing with your suggestions and providing plenty of examples.
Just because you don't like a suggestion doesn't mean that you have to insult and attack the person giving that opinion.
Above is Example 1
I suspect many of you are the same guys running around and just killing spawns because you can. Sure would seem like it based on the comments of some.
If the devs want to make a hardcore game and target a very (small) niche market, that's their prerogative and who are any of us really to disagree. My point is that in doing so, you alienate your game from larger group of PAYING customers. If the devs goal is to create their vision without regard to financial return, great. If their goal is to create a good game and also make a boatload of money, than compromises need to be made.
I'm unsure of how frequently you participate in Alpha's/Beta's. It could be often, but what you seem to create is a divide between making the game that they ENVISION, and making a game that a lot of people want to play. I don't think that making a game easier necessarily makes it better. Your suggestions have been to make the game easier for new people. That is the core of what you want. What you said however was "I've been ganked and robbed a lot and I think there should be safe zones".
I won't go back and re-quote everyone, but a few hit exactly on the point - "the rich get rich and the poor get poorer". That's absolutely true. Those who have, continue to take more and more from the environment, in their m4/c4 toting clans. This leaves the spawns literally defenseless and running from nooks and crannies trying to hide and praying that they make it thru the night.
Cold, naked, afraid.... sounds like a survival game to me?
The problem is that there are FAR too many players and groups who feel the objective of the game is to kill as many newbs as possible and frustrate the shit out of them. See, I thought the objective of the game was survival. Survival to me isn't running around killing everything you see simply because you can.
Survival is running around trying to avoid all the people who are out there to kill you whenever they can. Right now, to increase the frequency of EVERYTHING being tested, this game is using about 10% of the map as well as significantly increased amounts of high end resources with low cost. There also is NOTHING ELSE TO DO IN THE GAME. Build a base, build weapons, go kill people. That's it. Guess what, that is alpha. There will be more to come.
The problem arises with how difficult it can be to collect enough resources to build a basic shelter. Depending on the servers, it can be downright impossible to collect enough resources to even build a 1x1 shelter. And quote honestly, I know i'm not the only one who feels that way, as it has been posted on forums all over the interwebs.
Yep, that would have been a good OP.
So let me try to rephrase my point without just being flamed - currently, I feel that there is a huge barrier to entry for spawns. But this entire discussion is actually irrelevant because NONE of us know where the devs want this to go. If they simply want a money maker, they will need to make changes because casual gamers (who FAR outnumber all you hardcore gamers) are not going to participate. Casual gamers don't have hours upon hours to farm resources, only to have everything stolen each night. That's not fun, no matter what any of you say. It isn't fun to invest time into a game, collecting and gathering, to just have to re-do it constantly.
You bring up a couple good points (to discuss).
1. Casual gamer vs. Hardcore gamer: If you pander to the casual gamer, your game will fail. Guaranteed, 100%, no questions asked. Pander to only the hardcore gamer, and your game won't necessarily fail, but it won't be as successful as it could be. So, I'd lean to keep your focus more on your core group of people who play it the most, and make it inviting to others to try.
2. Barrier to entry exists. No one argues that point. Then again, it's alpha.
And with that - I'm done. Thanks for listening.
PS - all you claiming that I want carebears and cuddle zones are illiterate and incapable of reading comprehension. Your insults just make you look like a clown.
HEY NOW, I knew Example 1 was going to come in handy. Might want to read through that again.